Egg-crate.



No. 743,232. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.-

A. T. BODLE. Y

EGG GRATB.

APPLICATION I'ILBD MAB. 6. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

$2 Igaagfov, 10y r V I UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EGG-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,232, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed March 6,1903- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER THOMPSON BODLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in thecounty of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Egg-Grate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in egg crates or boxes, and has-for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character by means of which a number of eggs may be compactly packed for transportation or shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate or box formed from a simple blank and bent into cylindrical form, the side walls of the box being free to expand or con tract to accommodate different size eggs and of such a contour as to conform to the shape of the egg, thereby permitting the eggs being compactly packed in the box without the liability of breakage.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understoodthat various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box made in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the blank from which the box is made.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the box, formed of strawboard, cardboard, paper, or other suitable material, substantially cylindrical in general contour and oval in cross-section, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The box is preferably formed from a single blank 2, the body of which is rectangular, as shown, being provided with oval-shaped end flaps 3, each having integral wings or side flaps 4 and 5. The inner end of the side flaps are curved or cut away, as shown at 6 to conform to the shape of the oval flap 3 and also to permit said flaps Serial No. 146,548- (No model.)

being folded easily. The side flaps 4 and 5 are entirely disconnected from the main body of the blank, thereby permitting the ends ofthe cylindrical body portion of the box to freely expand or contract when the blank is folded to accommodate different size eggs. The side flaps 4 are each provided with locking-tongnes 7, adapted to engage the squared end of the opposite'side flaps 5 when the same are folded, securely locking them together and forming with the oval-shaped flap 3 the end walls of the crate or box. The interior of the box is provided with a central longitudinal partition 7 a and one or more transversely-disposed partitions 8, halved together in a wellknown manner, and this partition 8 defines a series of compartments 9, adapted to receive the eggs. The partition 7 a is supported within the box by means of a wire staple or similar fastening device 10, one end of which is secured to an inwardly-extending lip 11, formed on the end flaps 3, the opposite end of the Wire being fastened in any suitable manner to the longitudinalpartition. In folding the box the side flaps 4 are first folded on the end flaps 5, the ends of the opposite side flaps being passed under the tongues 7, securely locking them together. The end flaps are then bent up at right angles to the body portion and central partitions secured in position by passing a wire through the lips 11 and the ends of the partitions, thus bracing the end flaps. The eggs may now be placed in the several compartments and theends of the blank brought upwardly under the lips 11 and secured together by means of a string 12.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive, and attractive crate or box, which may be made in different sizes to accommodate any number of eggs and which may be sold with the eggs, if desired. The particular shape of the box allows the nesting of the eggs without the liability of breakage, while by having the side wall free from the end flaps it permits said side wall to expand or contract to accommodate eggs of different size. Large quantities of eggs may be shipped without the use of bran, sawdust, or similar packing material by simply arranging the eggs in boxes and packing the boxes in a crate, the shipper knowing at a glance the number of eggs in the crate by the number of boxes it contains.

Having thus described the device, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A box or crate com prisinga flexible body portion having integral end flaps provided with inwardly-extending lips, a cellular structure arranged Within the body portion and secured to said lips, the side Walls of the box being extended to form a cover and spaced from each other at their free edges to permit inspection of the contents of the box.

' 2. A box or crate comprising a body portion formed of a single blank bent into substantially cylindrical form andprovided with integral end flaps, said end flaps being pro- ALEXANDER THOMPSON BODLE.

Witnesses:

W. L. RAEDER, W. C. OLDS. 

